In July...

I had a birthday. It was alright. Three birthdays in my life have been super awful. In 1995 when I turned 11: 7 days after my two youngest sisters tragically died in a car accident and only three days after their funeral. In 2006 when I turned 22: just over one month after my dad passed away as a result of suicide. This year, when I turned 27: 22 days after my brother Chris died by suicide. Each time people want to focus on me since it's my birthday and they try to be happy, but these were never happy times. It's hard to fake being happy even if there is "something" to be happy about, like me getting older. Three times in my life my birthday has been the first "happy" thing we have done as a family after awful tragedy. I decided this year was the LAST time it was going to happen. No one else can die until I'm old and especially NOT before my birthday. I had a serious talk with Heavenly Father and let him know that I am WAY DONE with stuff like this in my life. Seriously. D-O-N-E!!!!! I'm working on trying to find positives and find ways to turn around all the crap and do good things with it. Wish me luck, haven't found anything positive yet.

On a more positive note...we borrowed "Chasey Bug's" jeep and went on rides.

 Brooks got a ball pit to put all his balls in. Saying he LOVES it is an understatement. I haven't had it out with all the balls in it for a while now, I can't stand when they end up all over the house. Maybe I'll surprise him tomorrow after his nap. Speaking of napping, he would only sleep in the pit for about a week.

 We went on lots of bike rides. We got Brooks an ibert bike seat for his birthday. It was really a gift for me so I could go riding without getting a sitter. He loves riding on it. We talk about what we see and he says "wee" a lot. I love living just off of Wasatch Drive, we have lots of riding options. My goal next year is to be fit enough to ride Millcreek canyon from our house.